Following its victory in the 1st Section at the Welsh Regional Championships in 2022, the band was promoted to the Championship Section for the 2023 contest, which was held on Sunday 19th March 2023 at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea.
Making its first appearance in the top section in Wales since 2013, the band faced the challenege of performing the set test piece, ‘Red Priest’ by Philip Wilby.
The band achieved 6th place in a very strong field of 7 bands.
Full results for the section are below.
Position
Band
Conductor
Draw
1
Tredegar Town Band
Ian Porthouse
1
2
Cory Band
Philip Harper
2
3
Llwydcoed Band
Joshua Ruck
3
4
City of Cardiff (M1) Band
Chris Bond
7
5
Tongwynlais Temperance Band
Owen Farr
4
6
Pontardulais Town Band
Paul Jenkins
5
7
Tylorstown Band
Gary Davies
6
Best Instrumentalist: Robert Westacott – Soprano (Tredegar Town Band) Best Cornet: Tom Hutchinson – Cory Band Best Basses: Cory Band
The band kicked off its 2023 contesting season, hoping to defend its title of ‘Welsh Open Champions’, with an appearance at the Welsh Open Entertainment Contest, held at The Riverfront in Newport on February 18th 2023.
Fourteen Championship and First Section bands competed, with adjudicator Glyn Williams given the task of selecting a winner. Unfortunately, the band was unable to hold onto the CISWO Challenge Trophy, but was pleased with its performance, once again narrated by radio DJ and local Swansea personality, Kev Johns. The band choose to present the following programme:
A Fantasy of Joy, Fredrick Schjelderup
O Verona, Craigh Armstrong arr. Philip Harper
Banana Island, Etienne Crausaz
Ar Lan y Môr, Welsh Traditional arr. Leigh Baker
Enchanted Kingdom, Paul Lovatt-Cooper
Full results for the contest ar shown below.
Position
Band
Conductor
Draw
Points
1
Ebbw Valley Brass
Gareth Ritter
12
198
2
Llwydcoed Band
Joshua Ruck
7
197
3
City of Cardiff (M1) Band
Chris Bond
14
196
4
Burry Port Town Band
Andrew Jones
13
194
5
Parc & Dare Band
Dewi Griffiths
2
193
6
Brunel Brass
Daniel Hall
5
192
7
Filton Concert Brass
Nathan Jenkins
3
191
8
Tongwynlais Temperance Band
Owen Farr
9
190
9
Pontardulais Town Band
Paul Jenkins
4
189
10
Jackfield Brass Band
Ryan Richards
10
188
11
Michelmersh Silver Band
Melvin White
11
187
12
Tylorstown Band
Gary Davies
8
186
13
B. T. M. Band
Jeff Hutcherson
6
185
14
Lewis Merthyr Band
Craig Roberts
1
184
Highest Placed First Section Band not in Prizes: B. T. M. Band
Most Entertaining Stage Presentation: Llwydcoed Band
Best Soloist: Philip Howells – Xylophone (Ebbw Valley Brass)
Best Cornet Player: Andrew Smith (Llwydcoed Band)
4BR Best Soprano Player: Tom King (Llwydcoed Band)
We regret to advise that due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, the concert arranged for 1st October at Morriston Tabernacle has been cancelled. All tickets sold will be refunded.
The band was placed 9th in the First Section Final of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, held at The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse, on September 17th 2022. The band gained the invitation to represent Wales at the contest through winning the First Section at the Welsh Regional Championships in March.
All 16 competing bands were required to perform the set test piece ‘Trittico’ by James Curnow, with three adjudicators to impress – Roger Webster, Ian Porthouse and Gary Davies.
Full results for the section are below.
Position
Band
Conductor
Draw
1
Stannington
Sam Fisher
15
2
Marsden Silver Prize
Andrew Lofthouse
13
3
Staffordshire
Craig Williams
14
4
Sandhurst Silver
David Johnson
16
5
Acceler8
Jef Sparkes
8
6
Ebbw Valley
Gareth Ritter
1
7
Ashton under Lyne
Martyn Evans
6
8
Bo’ness & Carriden
Charlie Farren
9
9
Pontardulais Town
Paul Jenkins
7
10
Hyde
Nigel Seaman
2
11
Dalkeith & Monktonhall
James Chamberlain
3
12
Kirbymoorside Town
Sarah Woodward
11
13
Gresley Colliery
Craig Stevens
10
14
East of England Co-op
Nigel Cooper
4
15
Houghton
Michael Franey
5
16
Bodmin Town
Simon Badge
12
Best Instrumentalist: Rachel Dines – Flugelhorn (Ashton under Lyne)
Having received an invitation to compete at the British Open Spring Festival as a result of its victory in the Welsh Open Championship in February, the band returned to Blackpool for the first time since 2013 to compete in the Senior Trophy.
Held in the Spanish Hall at the Winter Gardens on 7th May 2022, the band performed the set test piece, ‘Life Divine’, by (Swansea-born composer!) Cyril Jenkins.
The band achieved an excellent 7th place in a field of 22 bands, its highest ever position in the competition! The adjudicators for the contest were Sandy Smith and Simon Gresswell.
Having recently won the Welsh Open Championships, the band was delighted to follow it up with victory in the 1st Section at the Welsh Regional Championships!
Returning to the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea on 19th March 2022, having last been held at the Great Hall on Swansea University’s Bay Campus in 2020, this was the first Welsh Regional Championships to take place following the outbreak of the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.
Best Instrumentalist – Lyndon Harris
With the victory comes an invitation to represent Wales at the finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, to be held at The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse on 17th September 2022.
The set test piece for the contest was ‘Spectrum’ by Gilbert Vinter, with the band competing in a field of 7 bands. As well as claiming the main trophy, the band’s euphonium player, Lyndon Harris, added to his growing collection of individual awards by claiming the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ prize.
Full results for the section are below.
Position
Band
Conductor
Draw
1
Pontardulais Town Band
Paul Jenkins
6
2
Ebbw Valley Brass
Gareth Ritter
3
3
B. T. M. Band
Jeff Hutcherson
7
4
Lewis Merthyr Band
Craig Roberts
2
5
Parc & Dare Band
Nigel Seaman
5
6
Deiniolen Silver Band
Keith Jones
4
7
Markham & District Band
Jayne Thomas
1
Best instrumentalist: Lyndon Harris – Euphonium (Pontardulais Town Band)
A full report for the contest from 4barsrest.com can be read by following this link.
Positive comments on the band’s performance from 4barsrest.com were as follows:
From 4barsrest.com – We waited a long time to hear two really authentic high quality First Section performances of ‘Spectrum’ and then we got them to close the contest.
The first came from Pontardulais, playing with bold confidence after their recent Welsh Open victory. That was carried forward here — helped by a wonderfully cohesive reading by the MD which was stuck to like Aroldite glue by his players.
This was glossy, high sheen stuff as oily as a palette of Dulux gloss and brushed on with the care and attention of a Vermeer rather than a Jackson Pollack. Little moments of unease, but it didn’t tarnish the canvas on which it was placed. Nicely done in all aspects that — very nicely done indeed.
From 4barsrest.com on Twitter – The most cohesive rendition so far from a bold but refined @pontardulaisband MD gave real definition to each colouring too – aided by fine soloists and balanced ensemble. Nice.
Pontardulais Town Band – Welsh Open Champions! Photo credit: 4barsrest.com
For the first time in its history, the band was delighted to win the Welsh Open Brass Band Championship!
The first contest held in Wales since the beginning of the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic was hosted at The Riverfront in Newport on February 20th and saw the band compete in a field of 13 Championship and First Section bands.
Previously held at the Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl, this Entertainment Contest sees each band perform a programme of music up to 20 minutes in duration and this year was adjudicated by Dr Robert Childs, with David Francis given the task of selecting the winner of the ‘Most Entertaining Stage Presentation’ award.
A late personnel change as a result of COVID-19 Coronavirus restrictions saw regular conductor, Paul Jenkins, swap his baton for a trombone, with Matthew Jenkins taking over conducting duties.
Best Horn Section – Pontardulais Town Band
In addition to winning the CISWO Challenge Trophy and the £1,000 prize, the band’s horn section were awarded the prize for the ‘Best Horn Section’.
The result also saw the band gain an invitation to compete in the Senior Trophy contest at the Spring Festival in Blackpool on May 7th 2022.
The band chose to perform the following programme, complemented by a video presentation and narrated by radio DJ and local Swansea personality, Kev Johns.
Nordic Polska, Anders Edenroth & Matti Kallio arr. Philip Harper
Trust in Me, Sherman & Sherman arr. Philip Harper
Fantasy on London Nursery Rhymes, Dan Price
An Evening Prayer, Engelbert Humperdinck arr. Robert Childs
Tale of the Dragon, Paul Lovatt-Cooper
Full results for the contest are shown below.
Position
Band
Conductor
Draw
Points
1
Pontardulais Town Band
Matthew Jenkins
14
184
2
City of Cardiff (M1) Band
Chris Bond
4
183
3
Tongwynlais Temperance Band
Carl Saunders
13
181
4
Ebbw Valley Brass
Gareth Ritter
2
180
5
Brunel Brass
Daniel Hall
10
178
6
B. T. M. Band
Jeff Hutcherson
12
176
7
SW Comms Band
Stephen Sykes
7
175
8
Tylorstown Band
Gary Davies
1
173
9
Lewis Merthyr Band
Craig Roberts
8
172
10
Parc & Dare Band
Dewi Griffiths
11
171
11
A W Parker Drybrook Band
Joshua Ruck
5
170
12
Forest of Dean Brass
Thomas Dunne
3
169
13
Markham & District Band
Jayne Thomas
6
168
Filton Conert Brass, drawn to perform as band number 9, withdrew prior to the contest.
Highest Placed First Section Band not in the Prizes: Ebbw Valley Brass
Most Entertaining Stage Presentation: City of Cardiff (M1) Band
Best Soloist: Megan Newberry – Cornet (SW Comms Band)
Best Cornet Player: Becky Cale (City of Cardiff (M1) Band)
Best Soprano Player: Clint Millter (B. T. M. Band)
As the ongoing COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic has once again resulted in the cancellation of most of the band’s Christmas performances, the band instead has a very special treat for you – a joint virtual concert from Pontardulais Town Band and the incredible Pontarddulais Male Choir, with an introduction by the choir’s President, Mr Eric Jones.
The band are incredibly grateful to both for their contributions and are honoured to be sharing a stage with them, albeit a virtual one! The band sincerely hope Christmas 2022 will see the return of the much loved community Christmas Concert and the opportunity for all musical organisations in Pontarddulais to perform together once again.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
The band is sad to announce the cancellation of the Christmas Concert at Morriston Tabernacle this Saturday, December 11th.
The health and safety of our audience and band members must come first and it would be unwise to go ahead given the rise in cases in recent days, following the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 Coronavirus.
The band are in the process of contacting everyone who had purchased tickets to offer a refund.